"Florida Fatigue" setting in for some USC, Clemson fans

Both Clemson and South Carolina will finish their football seasons in Florida. Again.

Both fanbases were expecting just a little bit more this season, and Gamecock fans feel especially cheated. Will that mean a little less travel on the road to the Sunshine State come New Year's Day?

"It's not as exciting as a national Championship or a BCS bowl, but it is what it is," said fan Sid Hall.

Hall was a little more measured than some twitterers on the internets. Many were hoping for a BCS bowl or maybe the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. One said he "couldn't possibly be less excited about this game. There is nothing to like about it." Another said he was suffering from Florida fatigue and wouldn't make the trip. Many others said the Gamecocks deserved better, citing Clemson's BCS invite.

"They're going to a bowl game, so we don't really care where we're going," said Daisy Miller, co-owner of Forest Lake Travel.

Miller says they were fielding calls Monday morning. She says despite the tepid response, especially when it comes to the Capital One Bowl, the fans will travel.

"Gamecock fans are Gamecock fans and whether it be Orlando or Dallas, they're going to go and we hope they have a wonderful result, too," said Miller.

Fan Kae Childs teaches shag at USC, and she remembers the bad old days of Carolina football when tailgating was all there was.

"That was the highlight of the day, because usually sitting through the game was not as exciting as it is now," said Childs.

Childs thinks fans have become a bit spoiled in recent years, but one of coach Steve Spurrier's goals was to elevate fan expectations. Childs says that mission is surely accomplished.

"If we win one, we expect to win the next and the next," said Childs. "Yeah, I think we're spoiled. But we're Gamecocks! We expect the best."

And they know what to expect on the road to Florida.

And the CapitalOneBowl summed it up itself Monday afternoon in a tweet, saying the bowl offers "warm weather, variety of entertainment options and Marquee opportunity to reach 11 wins vs. a ranked foe on a national stage."

LSU football fans ready to grab autographs and take pictures with their favorite Tiger players and coaches at the school's annual Fan Day will have to wait a little while. Sports information director Michael Bonnette confirmed to WAFB-TV that the event has been moved to the spring, in conjunction with the Tigers' spring football game. |^